Fourth Vector Ch. 21

Jack shrugged helplessly. "I agree with you, but what else can we do right now? Our best action is to get a response from Bancroft but we're going to be sailing blind just as much as they are until we know what's going on. There's not a lot of good options here."

Abigail bit her lip in apprehension but nodded anyway. They were stuck in the middle between two sides with no information. It was a situation they had to escape from quickly.

As Twitch ran off to get the dispatches out, Jack and Abigail moved to the main deck on their way to his quarters. They bumped into Kat along the way as she moved closer to the bridge.

"There you both are," she said, her face bright and sunny when she saw them. "I was just coming to find you." It didn't take long for her to register the look on their faces. "What's wrong?"

Jack looked over to Abigail. "Do you want to tell her or should I?"

Abigail took a deep breath. "Our government is treating our hard-won allies in the West by calling them colonies and demanding resources from them."

Kat's mouth dropped open. She looked back and forth between them before she could find the words to respond. "Tell me you're joking."

"I wish we were. I'm getting more word on this right now," said Jack with a subtle shake of the head. He took the time to explain more of the situation, including his responses back to the Admiralty and their allies.

"You didn't know, right, Jack?" she continued. "You didn't know they would do this, right?"

"I swear to you, I didn't know," he said while locking eyes with her. "I hope this is some mistake, because this is going to make our mission much harder if this is the case."

"Especially with hostilities with the Swabians heating up," Kat added. "I can imagine Heron and Masud were pissed about this, but can you imagine if one of these viceroys showed up to do the same with Aedan and Reina?"

Jack flinched. "That's why we need to get guidance on this as soon as possible. It probably couldn't hurt to get a heads-up to the both of them either, so they aren't shocked in case one shows up."

Kat wrapped her arms around her body, only nodding quietly after he stopped talking.

"This job gets more interesting all the time," said Abigail finally with a hint of a smile. "Just when things are starting to look easy, here comes something else to make it hard."

"It just wouldn't be right if it were any different," said Jack. "Let's just hope that no one does anything rash before we can regain control of the situation."

*****

Back at the Javan imperial palace, Bancroft was taking a break from his work. Lately, he began to enjoy walks around the palace grounds as a means to separate himself from the monotony of command. Already the days were starting to get cooler as fall descended on the country, and Bancroft found the peacefulness of the grounds a remarkable contrast to the busyness of the Admiralty.

And busy they were. One of reasonable logic could almost have expected the navy to fall into low standing and inactivity with the bungling of such an important operation as the channel invasion. It was testament to the emperor's lack of such logic that the navy was more important than ever now, and all around the world, Javan naval forces were being marshaled for the final push to break the Occitanian blockade.

It even seemed that the navy was getting more priority than the army for the first time in living memory. The rail network, which for so long had been seeing nothing but troop movements, now saw the resumption of raw materials from their supplies on the east coast to the manufacturers on the west coast. The sister battleships of theCharles IX were already humming with activity, and now a realistic date could be set for their completion.

Bancroft smiled as he strolled the grounds. His great gamble had started to pay off. Despite the cost of a good officer's life, he'd proven his point to the emperor and the country that the navy had to play a preeminent role in the war above everything else.

A lesser man would have been consumed with guilt over Henrik's untimely death. Bancroft was able to shrug it off.Collateral damage, he mused. The stakes of power politics were much higher than anything within the Admiralty, and if Bancroft was going to play at that level, he had to be ruthless.

Nothing could stand in the way of achieving the power he sought.

Even his relationship with Clark was starting to thaw, although there was none of the old comradery that there used to be. The man still carried the guilt with him but he'd been noticeably more like his old self in recent days, a sign that Bancroft found promising.

It was on his second lap around the building that Bancroft could hear the sounds of heavy steps behind him, only turning to find Clark in a rush to catch up with him. In his hands was a fresh dispatch, and Clark gave him a hurried salute when he finally caught up.

"Just arrived from Jack Easterbrook, Admiral," said Clark as he passed over the message.

Bancroft read it in a hurry, scoffing as he got to the end. "So Easterbrook has found out about the viceroys and he's requesting guidance on the status of our new colonies."

"Sounds just like your prediction," said Clark.

"I get tired of being right all the time," said Bancroft with an exaggerated sigh. "I told the emperor that treating them like colonies would change the whole situation over there. And it's already bearing fruit."

"What do you want me to say back to him, Admiral? Should I go over the emperor's changed policy?"

Bancroft pursed his lips in thought before he finally shook his head. "Say nothing."

Clark blinked. "Nothing at all?"

"Nothing at all," Bancroft confirmed. "It was the emperor's idea to keep him in the dark, so I'll let that particular policy continue to guide us."

Clark appeared to be a little shaken but couldn't find any further words. It wasn't until Bancroft noticed he was still standing next to him that something was up. "What's wrong, Clark?"

"I'm just surprised, sir. Easterbrook has been your protege for as long as I can remember. Why not give him a warning of what's to come? Or at least a bit more information?"

"All in good time, Clark. I'd like to have that chat with the man in person, and seeing as he'll be here in a few weeks' time, we can arrange to have that chat one-on-one. I can also blame any delay in correspondence on the emperor wanting him to be kept in the dark. Surely that won't bode well with the commodore either."

"What could be the possible reason for creating animosity between the emperor and Easterbrook?" asked Clark with a confused expression.

"It's a prerequisite for a question that I need to ask of Jack when he gets here," said Bancroft quietly. "One of paramount importance. In order for it to succeed, I need to make sure he's as confused and possibly even upset, as ever with our own leadership before I dare tread in that territory. So for now, we'll be silent. Say nothing to him, and if we get another dispatch on the matter, bring it to my attention right away."

Clark nodded quickly. "Yes, Admiral," he said before moving back toward the palace.

It's time to figure out if Jack will stand with me in this great enterprise, thought Bancroft.I need a number two man, and he's the perfect one for the job.

*****

Later on that evening, Jack made his way below deck to Greg's quarters. His footsteps were heavy along the metal floor of the warship, and he knew the conversation on his mind may not be an easy one. Despite warning Greg earlier that he intended to leave a small contingent of marines on Picardy, he now wanted to secure commitment of just who would be left.

Jack passed a group of marines doing a basic workout in one of the recreation rooms of the ship. He recognized their faces instantly as a group who'd been with him from the start, men who had boarded the ship back in Quiller's Cove some nine months ago. They were veterans of several conflicts, and they were the same men who'd turned the tide back in Andalucia, ended the civil war in Sorella, and more recently took back Aedan's capital city.

Jack's stomach worked itself into knots at the thought of asking them to stay away from their families for a longer period of time. These men deserved to go home. They deserved to have time to rest up from all that they've experienced during this mission. Even the newcomers of the 57th Regiment had their hands dirtied with battle, and they were just as much in need of a rest as the older veterans.

It wasn't going to be an easy question for any of them, and Jack almost dreaded the conversation as soon as his knuckles rapped on Greg's door.

"Jack, good to see you!" said Dustin, opening the door to no doubt see Jack's surprised expression.

"Dustin, what are you doing here?" he asked, looking further into the room. "Where's Greg?"

"Over here," called our Greg from behind the door. Dustin patted Jack's elbow before returning to the table with Greg. As Jack came closer, he could see that both men were looking at the same battle map of Picardy that he had left with Greg the other day. There were now several more lines marked on it, the results of what appeared to be several strategic talks.

"Have a seat with us, Jack," said Dustin with a quick wave. "We were just now reminiscing about some past wars."

Jack chuckled and sat down on the opposite side of the table. "Which war was this? The Desert War?"

Greg shook his head. "The other desert war. The one in Andalucia."

"And the Battle of the Dunes," chimed in Dustin. "When we smashed that Swabian regiment into literal dust."

"If only every battle could be like that," said Jack. "Little to no casualties and the complete destruction of an enemy force. Not bad for one fight."

"Not bad at all," said Greg. "And I'm sure they won't make the same mistake of charging strong flanks like that ever again."

Dustin snorted. "Like hell they won't. You're forgetting we didn't take any survivors. They'll make the same mistake again because no one else lived to tell about it!"

Jack found himself grinning. "Maybe we'll get lucky again and they'll be kind enough to make the same mistakes in Picardy."

"Maybe we should just jump the gun and take the boys to Swabia," said Dustin with a fierce growl. "I'd be all for trying to see if those bastards are stupid enough to try and face us again, especially on their own home turf."

"We may need a little more force than that to take on Swabia directly," said Jack with a smile.

Dustin laughed. "Not with our boys. I believe in them so much, especially after this last battle, that if we gave them the order to conquer the sun, they'd find a way to do it. There's no other warrior in the world quite like a Javan marine."

"I'll gladly drink to that," said Greg, offering up a glass of water.

"As would I," replied Jack. "If only I had something to drink!"

That problem was solved in a quick hurry as Greg soon produced another glass. Despite there not being any alcohol, it didn't stop the three of them from enjoying their toasts to Javan arms. Jack could only grin as the water went down, but he could soon see by the looks on both marines' faces that they knew something was up.

"So what's going on, Jack?" asked Greg finally. "I know you didn't come all the way down here just to have a cheers with us."

Jack started to nod. "You're right, I didn't. I want to talk about the possibility of some of the marines staying in Picardy. Like we discussed the other night."

Greg smiled. "Dustin and I were just talking about that not too long ago."

"Have you given it some thought? Perhaps about who you might ask to stay?" asked Jack.

Dustin nodded. "We sure did. And we know who it's going to be. We've also talked with the boys already and got their approval."

Jack let out a small sigh of relief. "That's great. Who is staying?"

Dustin and Greg looked at each other before looking back at Jack. "The 57th will stay here in Picardy. It wasn't the hardest decision. They've been in the Vector the shortest amount of time. The original battalion deserves to see home."

Jack started to nod. "That's a wise decision. Those original veterans deserve to see their families. What about the replacements to the original battalion?"

"That's where we got a little creative," said Dustin. "You see, the replacements came with the 57th, so there really wasn't a way we could fairly say for one to stay while the other could leave."

"So we went by seniority and we did some transfers on the back end. Those that are going home are the ones that served the longest," continued Greg. "The younger and newer guys can stay a little longer. We've already made those transfers so it's all set to roll."

"That's good to hear. I can tell you both put a lot of thought into this, so I very much appreciate it," said Jack.

"There is one more thing though," said Dustin with a raised eyebrow. He then turned to look at Greg. "Do you want to tell him or should I?"

"Go ahead, you do it," said Greg.

Jack felt confused. "Tell me what?"

Dustin grinned at him. "Both Greg and I will be staying here with the 57th. To command this war in Picardy."

Jack pursed his lips and nodded slowly. "I'm surprised," he said as his gaze drifted between each man. "What makes you both want to stay and not go home?"

"It's the right thing to do, Jack," said Greg simply. "We can't very well ask more than half the men to stay while we go home. It's just not right. I volunteered myself to stay right away, shortly after we talked earlier."

"Are you sure about that, Greg? You've been here as long as the original veterans. Why not go home?" asked Jack. "Dustin did well while you were down with the plague."

"That's exactly why I want to stay," said Greg firmly. "I was down for that entire fight, Jack. I was completely useless to the men and to you when we retook the capital."

"For good reason though. No one expects you to fight when you're bedridden."

Greg shrugged. "I don't see it that way. The way I look at it, I'm down a fight from the rest of you. I might as well catch up now, when we're needed the most. I know Aedan's army is in poor shape, and there's only so many Carinthians here. Why shouldn't I stay and fight?"

"If that's the way you look at it, then it's no good for me to try to change your mind," said Jack. "Nor do I want to. I can only be thankful that I have men of your caliber under this command, Greg. Marines like you don't come around too often."

"That's where I'd have to disagree," said Dustin with a wide grin. He elbowed Greg in the side. "He ain't too bad, but have you seen me fight?"

Jack started to laugh. "Yeah, and we barely got through the last fight."

Dustin growled. "Hey now, I didn't do too bad when we took the capital."

Jack held up his hands. "No, you did extremely well. Both of you. If you're both sure you want to stay, then I won't say any other words on the matter."

Both men looked to each, then to Jack, and then they nodded. "We do."

"Good," said Jack. "And I thank you both. I've been dreading this conversation but you two made it easy on me."

"If you want, we can try this over again and make it a lot harder on you, Jack," offered Dustin.

Jack chuckled. "That's okay. I appreciate it though. Keep in touch with me. Send any messages through Quiller's Cove and then onward to Java. Let me know the status of the fight, especially when you kick the last Swabian out of Picardy."

"That we'll do, Jack," said Greg.

"Just promise me one thing," said Jack with a hint of smile as he soon thumbed over to Dustin. "Don't let him invade Swabia while I'm gone."

Greg started to chuckle. "No promises there. I might have to shackle him to prevent that."

"Damn straight," said Dustin with a snort. "Jack, you might be thankful if I manage to end this whole war before you get back over here."

"I don't know if thankful is the word I'd use to describe it," said Jack with a laugh.

The three men continued to talk for the next thirty minutes until Dustin excused himself to get the men ready to stay in the country. Thankfully, a good portion of them were still at the temporary quarters given to them by Aedan, but several of the officers had since returned to the more comfortable quarters on the warship. With the task force leaving in the morning, they would need to get back to shore and quickly.

"That one continues to surprise me," said Jack as soon as Dustin was gone. "I didn't know what to make of him at first, especially during the battle."

Greg laughed. "What do you expect from a Tyrolean? Fighting is in their blood. It's a wonder we ever truly conquered that region. Can you imagine trying to fight through the woods surrounded by a bunch of men like Dustin?"

"No, I cannot," said Jack with a chuckle. "Good thing we don't have to."

"Amen to that," said Greg, before there was another knock on the door. Not so surprisingly for Jack, it was Vera that was requesting entry.

"Oh, hey, Jack," she said with a shocked face. "I didn't expect to find you down here."

Jack smiled. "Hey, Vera." He then turned to look at Greg and muttered something low that only the marine could hear. "Does she know?"

Greg nodded. "She does. And she's staying with me."

It was Jack's turn to be shocked. "Really?" He turned back to Vera. "You want to stay here in Picardy with Greg?"

She smiled and sat down beside him. Jack watched as her hand slipped into Greg's lap, only to be captured by his own. They looked at each other with obvious affection.

"I'm sure, Jack. I've thought about it, and if Greg is going to stay and fight, then I want to be here to support him." She looked back to her brother. "I hope that's okay with you, Jack."

"Of course," he answered quickly. "Who am I to stand in the way of this? It makes me feel better about the whole thing actually. Knowing that he'll have you here. I just know that I'll miss you while we're away."

Vera smiled before standing up and rushing in to embrace him. "And I'll miss you. It's not that I don't want to come with you, I do, Jack. It's just . . ." She lost her words, but the emotion in her gaze to Greg was easy enough for Jack to read.

"I understand," he said knowingly. "Believe me, I do. This is only natural, and I'm sure he'll be better off with you here with him."

"We just didn't want to upset you with the decision," said Vera while going to sit back with Greg. "Jack, I know we've been together since Sorella, back before we found out the whole truth with our family. It's going to be strange being separated from you now." Vera's eyes began to tear up, making Jack put his hands up.

"Let's save this until tomorrow. We have plenty of time to say goodbye then," said Jack with a soft smile. "It's hard enough to think about saying goodbye that I only want to do it once."

Vera giggled. "Fair enough."

"Jack, is there anything we should know before you leave?" asked Greg. "Anything you want us to do besides fight the war?"

Jack nodded quickly. "Yes, I want you to help Aedan keep his head on straight. Becoming a father seems to have leveled him out a bit, but he'll need guidance. His army is still in shambles, and we don't have many Carinthians here to help form a backbone to keep it together. That's going to fall to you to be the soul of that army. I also want to make it clear that you are the senior Javan official on Picardy."

Greg gave him a confused look at that last part. "What do you mean by that, Jack?"

Jack's face turned serious. "We now have viceroys to worry about." He spent the next ten minutes briefing the both of them about the appearance of those officials in Andalucia and Sorella.

"So what do you want me to do in case one of them shows up in Picardy?" asked Greg. "Apprehend them?"